AUSTIN LEASING LINKS AND RESOURCES

Virtually every apartment in Austin will allow a cat; Dogs don't have it so easy. "Aggressive breeds" such as Pit bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, and Chows typically have a harder time finding a place. We know who will and won't allow certain breeds, so be sure to ask us about your pet's breed.

Large breeds (over 60# ) can also be hard to place, especially in Central Austin. We can show you the places which will allow for your weight and breed of dog.

There are also many places which cater to dogs with fenced dog parks, disposal bags, dog washes, and doggie happy hours!

Pet deposits range from $350-500 depending on the property, with the average being around $400, with half typically being non-refundable. If you have more than one pet, anticipate paying a deposit for each pet. The nonrefundable portion is used to de-flea the apartment when you move.

Pet rent, usually $10/mo, is found at newer communities more often than not. Pet rent is used to fund pet stations, disposal bags, pet parks, and help cover the costs associated with cleaning up neglected pet waste.

Renters insurance is mandatory with certain apartment communities, and your Greenlight agent will know which places require it and why.

It's a smart investment, and a safeguard against your neighbor's careless actions. If your neighbor's aquarium breaks, flooding your apartment from above, ruining your clothes, electronics, etc, you're covered. If there's a fire, your items will be replaced by the insurance provider. Even though it's cheap to have, usually less than $10/mo for $100,000 worth of protection*, it's invaluable in case of fire or emergency.

You can either purchase a policy from the carrier of your automotive insurance, which is the most comfortable route for most, or you can insure that you'll get good service and contact Kim Krahn, my favorite Allstate agent.

kimkrahn@allstate.com or 512-346-3586

*a typical policy will offer $100,000 worth of liability coverage and $24,000 - $50,000 worth of contents.

• Texas Apartment Association - applications most common for apartments
  
• TAA Lease Contract Guarantor Form
  
• TAA Rental Application
  
  
• Texas Association of Realtors - applications most common for condos, townhomes, houses
  
• TAR Application for Guarantor of Residential Lease
  
• TAR Application for Residential Lease
  
  
• Equity Apartments - application for Equity Apartments
  
• EQUITY Application for Rental
  
  
• ALORI Properties Management - applications for ALORI properties
  
• ALORI Properties Rental Application
  
• ALORI Properties Guarantor Form

Almost every community in Austin is serviced by Capital Metro, the Austin area mass transit provider. 512-474-1200 is the phone number to call and find out when the next bus runs, where it will take you,
and how long it will take you to get there, as well as any transfers you need to make.

50¢ is the typical fare, and most grocery stores sell bus passes which will offer a savings for regular riders.

The Dillo, a special events transit and downtown bus (green, resembles a trolley), is free!

There's even a Silver Dillo that runs from midnight to 3 am, shuttling 'the over-served' from downtown to Southwest Austin!

UT Shuttles are free to students, and focus their transit to specific areas: Far West, Riverside, Cameron Road, The Arboretum, West Austin and general UT campus. They run usually 3 at a time, 5 minutes apart.

Limited Shuttle service is now available to the Arboretum area, picking up at Great Hills Baptist Church. Services run from 7am to 10pm.

Austin Tenant's Council

Operating under the philosophy that "everyone has a right to safe, decent, fair and affordable housing," the Austin Tenants' Council (ATC) fulfills thousands of requests each year for help with housing problems. ATC programs, which serve residents of the city of Austin and some of its surrounding communities, address many areas of need: housing discrimination, landlord/tenant education & information, and housing repair & rehabilitation.